


calculated revenge

by kyouyaed, reefs0



Series: the mirevage dynamic [6]
Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Manipulation, Psychological Torture, Revenant is Revenant, Torture, Way More Violent And Gory Than Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-19 12:37:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22710946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyouyaed/pseuds/kyouyaed, https://archiveofourown.org/users/reefs0/pseuds/reefs0
Summary: The gears are already turning as he contemplates the situation a little bit more.//Revenant does not enjoy having his territory encroached on, and Wraith very much encroached on his territory.//
Relationships: Background Wraith | Renee Blasey/Lifeline | Ajay Che, Revenant (Apex Legends)/Mirage | Elliott Witt
Series: the mirevage dynamic [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1625980
Comments: 29
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> we are working together on this one!! im taking parts 1 and three, and teegaroni is taking part 2!
> 
> this directly follows the events of [be careful](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22677919), so probably give it a read if you haven't yet!!
> 
> somehow this chapter goes "oh gore" to "mirage is cute" and im Not Sorry :*

Anger simmers through his body. It crackles through his programing, dimming his eyes to nothing more than lifeless sockets. He stands rigidly in his room in the Apex Tower, ominous in the corner as he seethes. Revenant is angry. He's always got a bit of rage settling beneath the surface; it tends to drive him— always a little angry and vengeful, always there, ready and waiting.

It's worse, now, though, with the Void Walker's little stunt fresh in his mind.

If he had his way, her neck would have been snapped in that arena as soon as Caustic's skull exploded on Witt and himself. If the arena wasn't finely tuned to prevent damage to one's own squad, Revenant would have relished in crushing her skull into a fine paste. He would have taken his time, starting with her nose, crushing down, down, down until the blood gushed and the pain set in. Shattering her jaw, rendering her speechless but not needing her words; his victims' eyes always told him everything he needed to know and the Void Walker would be no different.

Her cheekbones would go next, easily shattered under his destructive touch. Eyes still watching, if she hadn't blacked out in shock and pain. Revenant knew how even the most resilient person eventually caved with the pain he could inflict.

The lights of his eyes flicker in the dark of his room as he entertains the thoughts of gruesomely murdering the kill stealing little _bitch_. Ripping off her jaw, blood and muscle spilling out from the gaping hole in her maw… Crushing what's left…

Revenant lets out a low hum as the thought settles in his mind. Her blood spilling over his fingers… The sweet smell of her fear… He can almost taste the sweet tang of her blood. He can imagine the rivulets of blood, and the limp way her tongue would loll down her neck before becoming one with the rest of her skull…

He hums again at the thought, pleased with the images of her death his mind is conjuring. It's what she deserves, he thinks, for stealing Caustic's death from him, and for stopping him from continuing Witt's exposure to killing. For stopping him from what was his, both in kills and in regards to Witt.

Yes. The Void Walker deserves a death too gruesome for the games to even consider airing. She trod on what was his. A swift death would be too kind. The Void Walker deserves a painful death the next time they meet in the arena.

A painful, bloody death, one that makes his circuits hum just thinking about.

And then there is a knock on his door in a very familiar pattern, and then, "Rev?" The door opens, a small sliver of light spilling in. It slowly grows as Witt pushes open the door further until Revenant is illuminated in his corner. His bright eyes flash at the sight of Witt dressed down in his monogrammed pajamas.

"What do you want?" Revenant demands, flexing the rigidity from his fingers. He takes a small amount of joy in the way that Witt flinches at his tone, even more coarse than usual. Revenant has made a point not to be too short with Witt; he reserves that for literally anyone else. But perhaps if Witt had done as he was told and took the life of the good Dr. Caustic, Revenant would not be so upset with him or the woman.

Elliott Witt blinks up at him from behind the glasses that are reserved for outside of the games, his hair damp and bunny slippers warming his feet.

Revenant can't help but move from his position at the vulnerability Witt is showing him once again. He slinks to the door in a slick motion that gets a surprised jerk out of his human, and Revenant's circuits hum a little louder at the wary look on Witt's face.

Witt pulls himself together, though, and smiles at the looming simulacrum. "H-hey, Rev," he greets again with a little chuckle. "I uh, I just wanted to check up on you, y'know?" Revenant only stares down at him. "I, I know you hate having kills stolen! And I, well, I wanted to make sure you're okay!" He finishes his little spiel with a laugh and a grin, and irritation sizzles through Revenant.

"I do not require your concern, _Mirage_." Revenant feels a cold satisfaction as the use of Witt's stage name hits the human hard.

The grin is gone in an instant, replaced by a look of clear hurt and confusion. His eyes go a little bit squinty and shine orange in the light of Revenant's eyes.

"What?" breathes Witt.

Revenant cocks his head, but does not answer.

Witt blinks rapidly and chokes out, "Mirage?" He uses one hand to push up his glasses, and the shimmering tears are no longer there when he pulls his hand back. "Revenant… What… what did I do?" His voice is little more than a harsh whisper. "Why are… Wh… _Mirage_?"

"I don't believe I stuttered," Revenant pushes, intrigued by the tear that rolls down Witt's cheek before he can stop it.

"Please," Witt exhales, his breath shaky. "Please. What did I do wrong? Rev. Please, I'll do anything just… What did I do wrong? I'll do anything, I swear I'll do anything."

Revenant regards him for a moment. "Leave," he snaps. He slams the door to his room shut in the other's face, darkness wrapping around him once again. Elliott sniffles loudly before Revenant hears him shuffle away.

But his words ring in Revenant's mind.

_Anything, huh_? he thinks to himself. _Perhaps_ …

The gears are already turning as he contemplates the situation a little bit more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wraith isn't a big fan of how Revenant has been looking at her. Ever since she stole a kill from whatever was happening between him and Mirage, the voices have been constantly warning her about an upcoming death. Most certainly at the hands of Revenant as a form of revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a lot of violence here, so keep that in mind before you start reading.

Another day, another round of the Apex Games. Waiting patiently in the dropship, everyone's busy doing their own thing until the gamemasters form up today's squads. 

Wraith isn't a big fan of how Revenant has been looking at her. Ever since she stole a kill from whatever was happening between him and Mirage, the voices have been constantly warning her about an upcoming death. Most certainly at the hands of Revenant as a form of revenge.

He glares daggers at her on the dropship, and the only reason she knows this is because the voices tell her so. He's hidden in a corner somewhere, glowing eyes filled with hatred being his only noticeable feature.

**_He's watching_ ** , they warn her.

"Thanks," she feels like spitting back. "This is the fifth time you've told me this in the last three minutes."

She knows what's coming and she knows she can't do anything about it, so she's not afraid. She's not scared of whatever Revenant has in store for her, and that gives her more of an edge on him than one would think.

So she sits calmly, waiting for the games to begin. Head resting on Ajay's shoulder, she gazes blankly in front of herself, looking at nothing in particular. She's just doing her best to tune out the warnings from the void and instead focus on the chatting coming from her fellow legends instead.

"I think that my squad will win today!" Pathfinder speaks cheerfully, boasting a smiley face on his display screen. "I feel it in my bones."

"You don't even  _ have _ bones, amigo," comes a response from Octane.

Wraith smiles at the interaction between the two. It's cute, seeing friendly banter between her friends and coworkers. 

Her attention is quickly diverted to the screens in the dropship as they finally start showing teams and they approach World's Edge- or what's left of it, anyway.

Everyone gets up from where they were and gather around the various drop zone platforms, waiting eagerly for their banners to show up.

Mirage, Bloodhound, and Octane are the first announced team.  **_Danger_ ** , the voices warn.  **_He's in danger_ ** . Wraith darts her eyes to where Revenant stands, and notices that his gaze is currently fixed on Elliott. His hands are shaped into fists.

The next trio of banners is shown. Lifeline, Wattson, and Pathfinder. Wraith frowns briefly upon realizing that she won't be on the same team as Ajay again. She locks eyes with her from across the dropship, and her expression changes to one of endearment as she watches her significant other get into place with her squad.

**_He's watching you_ ** , the voices inform, snapping her out of her lovestruck moment.  **_You aren't safe_ ** . One voice is louder than the others, though.

**_SHE ISN'T SAFE_ ** .

Wraith hisses in pain and has to hold her head after that one. It hurt and it was loud. She quickly looks back at Ajay with a worried expression, and sighs in relief when she sees that she's still there. Why wouldn't she be? And why would the voices warn her about Ajay? They're all in an equal amount of danger competing in the Apex Games, are they not? She forces herself to shake off the anxious thoughts.

Next up is Crypto, Revenant, and Gibraltar. Wraith watches as the three get into place. She notices that Crypto is looking a bit nervous standing beside Revenant, but Gibraltar seems fine with it all, and it makes her smile again. His confidence is almost contagious.

And that leaves Caustic, Bangalore, and herself left as the last announced squad. She loads up with her team, and the platforms slowly begin to lower, revealing the arena beneath.

**_Watch out_ ** .

Her squad lands at The Geyser, and she's pretty sure they're alone there until the voices from the void speak up and tell her otherwise.

**_There's an enemy nearby_ ** , they say. "There's another squad here," she informs her teammates, quickly entering one of the buildings to find some loot.

"Copy that," responds Bangalore, rushing to follow her inside. She finds herself a level one body shield and gestures towards a second level one shield for Wraith, which she gladly accepts. 

Caustic finds an R99 in a separate building from where the two are. "I am setting up my defenses here if you care to join me," he lets them know through his comms.

Bangalore shakes her head. "Too dangerous," she replies, picking up a mozambique and frowning. She looks at Wraith from across the room. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"I don't know, aren't you the weapons expert here?" Wraith says back with a tone full of sarcasm, loading up a spitfire that she found. Bangalore directs her frown at her in response.

The two don't usually get along very well, but Wraith can't help but feel a bit sorry for her. She recently heard what Revenant made Mirage do to her a couple of games ago.

The sound of gunfire suddenly fills the area. "They've found me," informs Caustic.

Bangalore sighs dramatically in response, clutching her mozambique and stomping out of the building. "On my way."

Wraith follows close behind, and the two arrive shortly. Caustic is down, and standing in front of him is Gibraltar. Bangalore rushes into the fight, quickly downing Gibraltar herself with her mozambique-  _ two shots to the torso, one to the head _ . Before they get the chance to help Caustic up, there's a faint whirring sound.

**_Drone_ ** , the voices warn.

Before she can properly register the warning, both her and Bangalore's shields are depleted by an EMP, and Crypto reveals himself in the doorframe, alternator in hand. Wraith immediately starts firing, and he's quick to fire back. Bangalore's working on reloading her own weapon. Wraith gets Crypto down with minimal injuries to herself. She has a gunshot wound in her leg, but adrenaline keeps her standing.

"Good job," Bangalore compliments, slowly walking towards the bodies on the ground, standing in front of an open window. The sun shines on her face as she inspects the fallen legends.

Wraith is about to begrudgingly thank her for the compliment when she's suddenly reminded that they still have a third teammate out there.

**_There's a sniper_ ** , the voices yell.

As quickly as the warning comes out, a loud bang shatters through the air, and Wraith watches as her last teammate is shot in the head through the window, falling among the other bodies in the room.

Wraith doesn't have time to react. She phases and starts running to the other building that she and Bangalore were in before. Once she's back from the void, she plasters her back against a wall, and holds tightly onto her weapon. "I'm sorry I couldn't warn you," she whispers to herself. "It was too late." 

She stands there as quietly as she can, hoping that the sniper lost her while she was phasing. Her wishes are proven to be null as the door is violently kicked open, revealing the last member of that squad, Revenant. 

Wraith turns and immediately starts shooting at him. He staggers and grunts as she gets a couple of hits in, but he's quick to approach her, and he swiftly punches her in the gut, knocking her machine gun out of her hands, and bringing her to the ground.

**_You're in danger_ ** , the voices chime in.

"You're a bit late," she grumbles to herself as she struggles to sit up. She quickly reaches for her gun across the floor but is stopped by a swift kick to the face, sending her back onto the ground.

"Stay down," Revenant orders, towering over her. 

"I don't think so," she spits back, quickly lunging herself back up and retaliating with her prized kunai. She goes to stab him in the neck with it, but he blocks her attack with his hand. The knife tears through his metallic palm, and he pulls it out with his other hand, pushing her up against the wall and holding her own weapon against her neck.

It all happens so fast, but Wraith isn't phased by the sudden loss of power. She stares hatefully at him, cold and heavy metal keeping her pinned against a wall, and knife threatening her life. A sharp pain seers through where she was shot earlier by Crypto.

"Go on then," Wraith insists, voice showing no sign of fear whatsoever. "Do it," she dares him, smirking a little.

"Oh, I will," he hums in response, putting more pressure on the knife, drawing a bit of blood from Wraith's neck. It slides down and stains the collar of her shirt. "I'm about to show you what you get for fucking with my plans."

She shifts uncomfortably underneath his grip, but doesn't show any physical signs of pain in response to the fresh wound.

He doesn't have the ability to make facial expressions, but Wraith can tell that he's disappointed at the lack of a reaction from her. "What's the matter?" she teases, flashing him a grin.

He makes an angry noise, bringing the knife from her throat down to her torso, and stabbing her in the stomach, slicing across her abdomen. 

She cant help but inhale sharply, hissing briefly at the pain. She's dropped to the ground and immediately grabs the area to keep from bleeding out.

**_You're going to die._ **

Revenant tilts his head, inspecting the girl on the ground. She's kneeling in a growing pool of her own blood and guts, but that's not good enough for him. He wants a reaction out of her. He wants her to beg for mercy or plead for death to come quickly, and he wants to deny her both, but he can't do that if she's not  _ asking _ . He wants to make her pay for what she did.

Wraith's breathing is heavy. She collapses from the loss of blood, and fails at keeping her innards where they belong. She's dying a lot slower than she's used to, and the pain is excruciating, but she doesn't let Revenant know any of this. Instead, she stares up at him with a grin. She knows it'll piss him off, and it does.

He screams in rage, kicking her onto her back and stomping right on the stomach wound that he created. "Say something," he demands. 

But now she can't, even if she wanted to. Her vision goes black, and she passes out. Whether it's from shock or blood loss is debatable, but she's no longer responsive. 

Revenant takes her kunai and leans over her body. He stabs it right through her skull with brutal force, finishing her off for good. Well, until the games are over anyway. Standing back up, he simulates the sound of heavy breathing, clenching his fists. "I'll find a way to hurt you," he swears to her dead body. "But for now," he mumbles, turning to leave. "I need to find Witt. Make sure no one else has gotten to him yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh man, that was a lot of words. if you like our work, please consider leaving a comment! it fuels our inspiration to write more. be excited for chapter three, and more upcoming mirevage fics. 👀


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear,” Revenant says.
> 
> //Somehow, Revenant always gets what he wants.//

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "i have a theory. Revenant was cracking a cold one with the boys, and Wraith is the cold one." - Teegan's opinion of this chapter  
> idk what happened to me but this is... this sure fucking happened. this is so long and im so satisfied with it, honestly.
> 
> the rating had to be upped because apparently it's Really Graphic and i dont wanna trigger anyone so again i am announcing:  
> Dead Dove: Do Not Eat  
> graphic depictions of torture and violence. psychological torture. manipulation. emotional manipulation. blood and graphic gore.
> 
> i did not pull my punches with this chapter. you HAVE been warned and if these things squick or trigger you, turn back now. i did what i did and i dont want anyone to get upset or uncomfortable so PLEASE be careful and PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
> 
> this is unedited. will edit when i feel like it.

The dropship is more abuzz than usual. Nearly everyone is talking to someone, standing closer to the others than normal. Revenant takes it in silently from his corner, strategically placed to keep the others in sight regardless of where they move to. Even the hunter and the mad scientist have come out of their solitude to interact with others. The only one truly missing from the excited hubbub is Revenant.

He does not mind that even slightly. He is where he wants to be —set back, observing, watching.

Amusement sings through him when the Void Walker visibly flinches, her hand slapping over her ear. The healer, _Lifeline_ , stops talking to Witt to give the Void Walker a look. Concern, he thinks as Witt joins in on asking quite loudly if she's alright.

One of his hands curls into a fist as Witt continues loudly fussing over her. _Patience_ , he reminds himself. _The game has only just begun_. It takes him a moment, but Revenant relaxes his hand.

The Void Walker looks up, and they make eye contact.

"Wraith?" Witt asks loudly, snapping his fingers near her ear. She breaks their eye contact to respond quietly, though her hand doesn't drop away from her ear once.

Good.

Anger still roils through Revenant when he looks at her and remembers what she stole from him. On top of the fact that she wasn't even fazed as he ripped her apart, cutting out her insides and making her suffer. Wraith isn't fazed by him. That's what makes him the angriest.

Even now, she's not fazed by him so much as by the voices she hears. She covers her ears but always gives him a defiant, if not smug, expression.

Revenant can't stand the sight of her.

On her other side, Lifeline laughs at whatever it is that Witt has just said. Wraith leans into their resident healer and dips her head just so. At the action, Witt's eyes slide to him for just a moment.

 _Oh_. If Revenant could, he'd be blinking in surprise as the dots connect so pristinely he feels somewhat foolish for not noticing at first. The Void Walker and the Healer…

The sharp alarm to signify their approach to World's Edge sounds, and Revenant slips out of the shadows, only to become Witt's shadow instead. Witt jumps a little at his sudden presence and gives him a smile.

"H-hey, Rev!" stammers Witt. Revenant only grunts in reply, stopping with the rest of the legends in front of the drop platforms. Above them, the team assignment screen lights up, showing the Apex Games logo as it finishes booting up.

Beside him, Witt is practically vibrating in place. The man can't stand still, bouncing on the balls of his feet, tapping his left hand erratically against his leg, running his fingers through his hair, stopping to tap the toes of his boots one after the other… He will not stand still.

"Elliott," murmurs Wraith on the other side of Witt. "Breathe."

Witt lets out a shaky chuckle. "I _can't_!" he exclaims loudly. "I love duos!"

Wraith chuckles as well. "I know," she tells him. "We absolutely destroyed King's Canyon last time."

Revenant turns his head to watch the exchange, amused as Witt gives a full body wiggle in response.

"Yeah! I'm gonna totally trash everyone again this season!" Witt bounces on his toes again. "We're gonna anny-annyhill… We're gonna kick your asses!"

Several of the others laugh at the loud declaration, and a low rumble radiates from Revenant's chest at the dismissive sounds.

Lifeline laughs the loudest and leans around Wraith to look at Witt. "Oh yeah?" she asks with a smile. "An' who's 'we'?"

Above them, the screen finally loads, flashing the official Games portrait of Mirage, followed by the official Games portrait of Revenant.

Wraith lets out a heavy breath and a loud, pleased rumble echoes out from Revenant's chassis. The rumble draws Witt's gaze and the excitable man is practically beaming up at him.

"Let's kick some ass!" Witt shouts, grabbing Revenant's hand to pull him along. Revenant allows this and follows silently, stepping onto the platform with his partner.

They turn to face the other legends. Above them, the screen lights up again, showing Bangalore and Octane. Bangalore laughs loudly and slaps Octane's back, but Revenant doesn't miss the look she sends towards Witt, still bouncing at Revenant's side.

Crypto and Pathfinder are shown next, then Caustic and Wattson. Revenant observes the remaining four as the doctor and the electrical engineer take their positions.

Wraith has her hand around Lifeline's wrist, her eyes firmly on Revenant. He cocks his head in response and focuses his attention on Lifeline. The healer seems excited, though not as excited as Witt still is. She's got a huge grin on her face as she watches the assignment screen.

"Yeah!" Lifeline cheers, and Revenant looks up. Bloodhound and Gibraltar are on a team together, which leaves the two women to each other. Revenant looks away in time to see Lifeline give Wraith a kiss, looking bright and happy as she does so.

She'll work nicely.

"I'm Jumpmaster!" Witt informs him, and Revenant hums. "Crap. Is Wraith okay?" Across the room from them, Wraith has a tight grip on Lifeline's arm, her other hand over her ear and her face tucked into her arm. "She's been doing that a lot lately. The voices seem really aggy-aggitah-... Unhappy."

"Seems unimportant," Revenant says. At the put out expression on Witt's face, Revenant rolls his shoulders. "I don't care about our opponents. Our job is to win."

Witt huffs loud and long, but says, "You're right! We're so gonna win! Duos reign of terror, here we come!"

Unceremoniously, Witt takes that moment to drop them from the ship.

They land on Mirage Voyage and Witt is quick to flip the switch between Elliott Witt and Mirage by flipping the switch to start the party on the ship. For a moment, Revenant just stands there and stares up at the massive holographs of Mirage dancing. A p2020 dangles from his fingers as he stares at the absurdity of it all.

"All aboard!" the real Mirage shouts, tossing a body shield Revenant's way. He catches it and slips it on, drawing himself away from the ship's ridiculous programing.

The duo thoroughly loot the ship and emerge decked out in crisp high tier body armor, helmets, and knockdown shields. Grenades clink with every step Revenant takes, and Mirage cocks his peacekeeper before leading the way toward Thermal Station.

Ever the dark shadow, Revenant follows behind him silently.

They encounter Crypto and Pathfinder there. Crypto gets a good shot on Revenant with his Charge Rifle and, after Mirage makes quick work of Pathfinder, the simulacrum takes pleasure in creeping up on Crypto and snapping his neck cleanly.

The successful duo heal up, loot, and head out again.

There's fighting near the Harvester, and they trail after a decoy, hoping to third party. The decoy fizzles out naturally, and they find Bangalore and Octane dead and looted. They continue further into the remains of Capitol City, starting on the east side.

Fighting sounds distantly, and Revenant only absently glances up when Mirage says, "Damn! Looks like a good firefight goin' down!" Mirage peers out an open window facing the west side of the fallen city.

"Good," says Revenant. "It's more satisfying killing the strongest of our competitors."

Mirage laughs and gives him a grin. "It is! I can't wait to get the drop on them! We’ll show them who’s boss!” Mirage looks back out the window as the gunshots die down, and Revenant goes back to debating if he needs 350 light ammo or if he can spare some for more grenades. “I bet it’s gonna be Wraith and Lifeline at the end!”

A near silent hum runs through Revenant at the thought. Wouldn’t it just be perfect if their two squads were the final two in the debut of duos? He owes Wraith a cruel visit after what she took from him, and it would be kismet if—

“Sniper!” Mirage shouts, a second too late for himself, though Revenant hits the ground. “Fuck,” his partner swears, hitting the ground after Revenant. His hand is clasped over his left shoulder as he hunkers down, back against the wall so whoever is sniping can’t see him.

Revenant looks him over and tosses him a medkit and a shield battery, picking up the ammo and the grenades he’d been debating over just moments earlier. He readies his own sniper, the sentinel settling nicely against his shoulder as he dares to peek up through the window, lining up his sights. Across the giant fissure running through the decrepit city, Revenant’s scope settles on the sight of the Void Walker that’s been haunting his mind.

“Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear,” Revenant says.

“What?” Mirage grits his teeth as he shoves the medkit needle into his wrist, squinting through his hair at Revenant.

“The Void Walker and her _belle_.” Revenant drops his scope just slightly and takes the shot on Wraith’s chest. The woman stumbles back, her triple take falling to her side. Lifeline dips into view of his scope and Revenant adjusts easily to take a quick shot at the knee closest to his scope. She crumbles at Wraith’s side and Revenant slings his sentinel onto his back once more.

He rises to his feet and holds out a hand to Mirage who tosses his depleted shield cell to the side and grasps Revenant’s wrist. Revenant yanks him up and tips his head. “The hunt begins,” he says, a smile affecting his voice. For a moment, just one single moment, he can imagine the cat-like smile that would have graced his human features. He hums at the thought and lets Mirage go.

Revenant sets off without asking if Mirage is ready, and the two fall into step to the zipline over the massive fissure. Revenant goes first, readying his R-99 moments before touching down on the ground. Mirage hits the ground and goes sprinting passed him towards the respawn beacon where Revenant had shot the pair down. A different Mirage pops up beside him and the two crouch until someone shoots at the decoy.

“What’s the plan, Rev?” Mirage asks, his prowler held tightly in his hand.

“Make them _suffer_ ,” Revenant growls, slamming his palms onto the ground. His totem bursts forth and Revenant gives Mirage one final look and plunges through the totem, coming out wreathed in shadows on the other side.

Almost immediately, he takes a bullet to the shoulder. Revenant rolls it off and laughs, low and coarse, shooting the gun out of Wraith’s hand. Mirage, bathed in shadows and looking for all the world like a demon, appears beside him and is quick to shoot Lifeline’s gun hand as well. Lifeline cries out as her gun goes spiralling and holds her wrist to her chest, a sharp look on her face that Revenant cannot quite place.

“Of course it’s you,” snarks Wraith, holding her own injured hand. She doesn’t flinch as Revenant looms over her, and to her credit she only grunts as he seizes her by the neck and holds her at his eye level. “Come to kill me again?” She smirks at him and his grip around her throat tightens at the clear taunt.

“Soon,” he promises, and he is pleased to see her eyes widen ever so slightly. They both turn their attention to Mirage, standing over Lifeline with an indecipherable look on his face.

“Elliott?” Wraith chokes out, and the man looks up at her. His eyes are intensely orange; it’s almost like looking into a mirror for Revenant. Wraith lets out a sound and Revenant loosens his grip around her neck only slightly. “Just kill her, Elliott,” Wraith pleads as more air rushes to her lungs. “Don’t do this. _Don’t do this_.”

Revenant laughs at that, unable to stop himself. “Cute,” he mocks. “You can beg, it seems.” Then he says to Mirage, “You know what you should do, don’t you?”

“I…” Mirage looks down at Lifeline, his foot firmly on her ankle so she can’t get away from him and she can’t scramble for her gun.

“ _Elliott_ ,” Revenant purrs. Wraith starts to speak and Revenant tightens his hand around her neck to cut off any air or potential speech she may try to give him.

Mirage seems to hesitate for only a second more before he lifts his foot, coming down with such force that the snap of Lifeline’s ankle seems to echo between the four of them. For a moment, the break hangs in the air. For a moment, everything is silent and even the distant sounds of gunshots have stopped.

Lifeline’s scream pierces the air in the next moment, so sharp and satisfying that Revenant can’t help but let out a contented sigh. Wraith’s hands are on his wrist in that moment, her fingers and her blunt nails pressing into any part of him she can reach. Revenant tightens his grip on her neck as much as he can without accidentally crushing her trachea before she can truly enjoy the show before them.

“Don’t test me,” he hisses at her, not taking his gaze from Mirage and Lifeline. “Or next time it will be her innards smeared throughout your bedroom, and you’ll never get her back.”

Whether it’s the pain around her neck or his words, Wraith’s hands go limp. Satisfied with her compliance at the moment, Revenant loosens his grip to give her some air. After all, it wouldn’t be fun if she passed out from the lack of oxygen. It wouldn’t be fun at all.

“Ell,” Lifeline begs, tears streaking her face. Her voice is as watery as her eyes and she seems to be trying to hold onto her shattered ankle. “Elliott please…”

Revenant watches in interest as Mirage glances up at him and Wraith. Wraith only takes deep, haggard breaths and Revenant stays silent, his eyes intense as he watches.

“I... “ The shadows fall from Mirage’s form, leaving him vulnerably human once again. Without the shadows to shroud his face, Mirage is very clearly conflicted as he stands over Lifeline. His brows are furrowed and his lips are pressed together, his eyes flickering all over the place. Mirage takes a deep breath and gives one final look at Revenant and Wraith. “I’m sorry.”

Involuntarily, Revenant’s grip tightens around Wraith’s throat again. He’s _sorry_? Does he think sorry is going to save him from the hell and the wrath Revenant can reign upon his pathetic excuse for a human life? Does he think sorry will keep his body intact and safe from the delicate sharpness of Revenant’s fingers, eager to shred open his _traitorous, bastard stomach_? Does he think sorry will stop the whirring and humming of Revenant’s programming as it struggles to process this betrayal? Does he think—

The thoughts come to a grinding halt as Mirage takes his prowler and shoots Lifeline through the knee that Revenant damaged earlier.

“ _Elliott_!” Wraith screams, kicking out at Revenant. Lifeline’s scream is lost in Wraith’s incoherent shouts as she claws at Revenant’s hand and kicks at him, trying to escape his grip.

Another shot rings out and Lifeline’s following scream shuts Wraith up.

Mirage drops the gun and steps off of Lifeline’s broken ankle. Revenant inches closer with Wraith tight in his grip. She’s no longer struggling, and Lifeline is sobbing pathetically.

The shadows are oil slick as they roll off of Revenant, leaving the simulacrum in all his cold, robotic glory standing over Mirage and Lifeline.

“What does it feel like?” Revenant murmurs, staring down at Lifeline. Unsurprisingly, she doesn’t answer although Wraith gives him a hateful glare on her behalf. He’d smile if his faceplate had the capability. Instead, he redirects his question to Wraith. “What does it feel like? Watching the woman you love in such pain?”

In response, Wraith spits on him. “Go to hell,” she hisses.

Revenant laughs. “Gladly,” he tells her. “I’ll drag you there with me.”

“Revenant,” Mirage interrupts. “Rev… Please, I…”

“You’re doing so well,” Revenant encourages. Wraith jolts in his grip at the change of tone, but Revenant pays her no mind. His attention is wholly on Mirage who is staring up at him with the widest eyes, looking so delicate and vulnerable. “You’re being such a good boy, Elliott. Just a little more. Just a little bit more.”

There’s no hesitation in Elliott Witt this time, and although he doesn’t shatter her knee with his stomp, Lifeline still screams in pain when Mirage’s boot comes down on one of her injured knees. He stomps on that knee again, and again, and again, and even though it’s not what Revenant would have done he is quite impressed with the way Mirage is eliciting pain from her with the few tools he has.

If only he had a knife… Revenant’s eyes glow at the memory of Mirage slitting Bangalore’s throat several games ago. It lacked finesse, but with practice he was sure Mirage would be able to create art with blood splatters and beauty in ripped out tracheae. If only he had a knife, or the resourcefulness to create a knife.

Mirage missteps and his foot comes down on Lifeline’s thigh instead.

“Stop,” Lifeline sobs, her hand grabbing Mirage’s boot on her thigh. “Please stop.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Revenant argues, and Mirage tears his gaze away from the sobbing healer at his feet to look up at Revenant once again. “She can be pushed even further still.”

“I don’t… Know what else to do,” Mirage confesses. Revenant makes a show of nodding.

“Let me show you,” he offers. The nod he gets in return is hesitant. “Make sure she watches.” he nods at Lifeline. “Hold her head in place.” While Mirage gets that sorted out, Revenant pulls Wraith closer to him and presses his faceplate against her ear to whisper, “She’s going to watch you die, and then I’m going to kill her.”

“You son of a bitch,” Wraith hisses. Revenant only grunts in reply, dropping the Void Walker to the ground. She hits it hard but doesn’t make a pained sound. Before she can make any other moves, Revenant stomps on her ankle. The bone shatters under his weight but Wraith doesn’t make a sound. He tries not to let himself be disappointed in the lack of response. After all, he got quite the beautiful symphony of begging from both her and Lifeline just from Mirage standing over the healer.

“Where should we start?” muses Revenant, looking her over. His eyes linger on the kunai strapped to Wraith’s hip, and he thinks that will come in handy down the road. “Do we start with the legs? Or perhaps we should have an encore of our last meeting and we can show your belle how beautiful your intestines are…”

He drops down so he’s kneeling beside Wraith and he cups her cheek in one of his hands. Her face is contorted into an ugly scowl but she doesn’t move away from his touch. It’s just as well, because he knows he could snap her neck in a heartbeat.

“If only you would scream for me,” Revenant says to her in disappointment. “It would make this so much sweeter.” She only continues to scowl at him. Taking that as her way of saying he should go to hell again, he plunges those dangerously sharp fingers through the meat of her cheek and into the wet heat of her mouth.

The blood warms the cool metal of his fingers and he curls them in, ripping them out of her cheek and tearing the thin wall of flesh out.

He uncurls his hand and contemplates the mangled bit of flesh that rests there while Lifeline lets out a desperate sob a few feet away. He’s grudgingly impressed with the Void Walker’s resolve because she still doesn’t scream, although he’s intrigued to learn what screaming would sound like with a shredded hole in the side of one’s face. He tosses the flesh away and moves his fingers back into the bleeding hole revealing her lower gums and teeth. Her tongue moves against his fingers and catches on the sharp edges, recoiling immediately.

“You can scream,” Revenant tells her kindly. She bites down around his fingers and he laughs. “That’s not very nice of you.” She glares at him and doesn’t unclench her teeth. “Do you want to find out how powerful I really am?” he wonders, contemplating her face. The hole could be a bit bigger, and if she doesn’t release his fingers she will find that out the hard way.

He’s not surprised when she only bites down harder.

“Rev?” Mirage asks, his voice soft and, well, horrified.

“Let me teach you what you do when your target doesn’t let go of your fingers,” Revenant tells him.

Inside of Wraith’s mouth, he curls his fingers once again. The sharp tips of his fingers dig into the gums, piercing them and drawing more blood into her mouth. She grinds her teeth down on his fingers, the glare on her face not letting up. Blood flows through her teeth and down Revenant’s hand and he cocks his head at her.

With the strength only an artificial body can provide, he shoves his fingers through her gums and through her jaw bone. His fist tightens, trapped between her teeth and wrapped around the bottom row of teeth and through the lower portion of her jaw. He squeezes and hears the satisfying cunch of her teeth and her jaw against his fingers, the muscle letting out a squish that makes Mirage gag.

Beneath his strong, supple fingers, Wraith’s jaw gives way and he _pulls_.

Some excess of her jaw breaks off as Revenant pulls at the caved bone in his hand. Her jaw goes slack as some of it comes away in an ugly mess of red and white gore, the bone from her chin broken at an ugly angle, poking out in a sharp white contrast to the mess around his palm.

Wraith’s head lolls, exposing the gaping hole in her maw to the world.

Lifeline vomits, and then Mirage vomits too.

There’s no lack of blood running down the left side of Wraith’s neck and what remains of the left portion of her jaw. Her eyes flutter and Revenant can see through the fresh hole that she is gritting her teeth. What must that feel like, he wonders. To suddenly have a necessary portion of your being ripped off. He contemplates the mess in his hand and can see individual teeth that survived the crushing force of his hand. He brings up his free hand to trace the shard of bone curiously and almost lovingly.

At his side, Wraith is wheezing through the beautiful new hole. And it is beautiful. He looks it over, tracing the uneven edges. He tosses the gore in his hand aside and hovers his hand over the mess of Wraith’s face. His thumb slips under the slack skin where her chin once was and thumbs the sharp edges of the broken bone.

“ _Beautiful_ ,” he murmurs, touching the hinge of her jaw that hangs onto nothing and is covered by flimsy torn skin. He looks up at Lifeline and Mirage, then. Neither of them are looking at him, and there are puddles of vomit on either side of Lifeline’s head. “Elliott?” he asks.

Mirage snaps his eyes open, but he very clearly avoids looking at Wraith.

“You need to watch.” He looks at Lifeline. “ _She_ needs to watch.” Mirage closes his eyes and visibly shudders. “Be a good boy for me one last time, Elliott. And then I won’t make you watch again.”

“I can’t,” Mirage chokes out, not opening his eyes. “I can’t. I can’t watch, _I can’t watch_.”

Wraith wheezes, and Revenant drops his voice low and says, “Elliott. _Please_.” Mirage’s eyes snap open at the pleading tone of voice Revenant used. “Please.”

It takes a moment, but Mirage grabs Lifeline’s chin in one hand, holding the top of her head with the other. He forces her to turn back to Wraith and Revenant and squeezes his fingers against the side of her temples, causing her eyes to snap open.

Revenant observes the pair briefly. Mirage is ashen, his eyes tired unlike when they first dropped down onto Mirage Voyage. His lower lip is trembling only slightly, and something hums in Revenant’s chest that he cannot place. Lifeline is worse off. Her eyes are red and tears still spill silently from them. Her cheeks are tear streaked and she looks grey. Blood from her wounds has stained her clothes, and her hair is disheveled and muddy. It’s wonderful to look at.

Not nearly as wonderful as Wraith bleeding out at his feet.

“I’ll make this quick,” he promises, running a hand down Wraith’s side. He comes to a stop at her pants and he makes quick work pulling her kunai away. He grabs what remains of her chin and tips her head so she’s facing Lifeline and Mirage completely. “Wraith,” he purrs. “She needs you.” Wraith’s eyes snap open instantly and they dart around before settling on Lifeline’s face.

Holding Wraith’s chin in place, he checks one final time to make sure the other two are watching. Satisfied, he brings Wraiths’ kunai down and sinks it into her temple. Her skull cracks loudly and Revenant’s eyes go hot and red as Wraith's eyes dim and her body goes limp.

Lifeline lets out a sob, and Revenant twists the knife. The crisp cracking of the dead woman’s skull fills the silence between them and Lifeline vomits again. When Mirage closes his eyes and looks away, Revenant lets it slide. He promised he wouldn’t make him look again.

Revenant withdraws the kunai from Wraith’s skull and rises. Carelessly, he steps on her head, revelling in the crunching of bone and the squishing of brain matter beneath his foot. Lifeline is still sobbing as Revenant approaches her. He places a hand on Mirage’s head and uses his hair to tilt his face upwards.

“You were such a good boy, Elliott,” Revenant tells him. “So good for me. You can keep your eyes closed. Cover your ears.” He combs his fingers through Elliott’s hair for a few seconds longer and lets the man go.

Elliott takes the chance to scramble back, eyes closed. He hits one of the trucks and claps his hands over his ears. Revenant observes him for a moment longer and faces Lifeline.

“Are you ready to die?” Revenant asks her, crouching at her side. He runs the bloody kunai along her face, leaving behind streaks of Wraith’s blood. Lifeline lets out a sob. “I see…” Revenant hums and looks her over. “I’ll be kinder to you, Ms. Che. You have aided me in the past.” She doesn’t answer, but for the moment Revenant doesn’t entirely mind. “Have you ever wondered what your own heart looks like?”

Her eyes snap open at his words and he tips the kunai in, digging the blade into the corner of her mouth. “Don’t move, or it will be worse.” To her credit, she stills beneath him. “Thank you for playing,” he tells her genuinely.

Lifeline’s scowl is reminiscent of Wraith’s, and Revenant glances over at the dead woman whose head is a crushed pool of brain, bone, and muscle. One of her eyes is still intact, sitting amidst the gore, staring at them. Her other eye had popped under his weight, but Revenant enjoys the idea of Wraith’s remaining eye being whole, almost as if she can see him kill her woman.

So, unceremoniously, Revenant plunges his left hand into Lifeline’s chest. His sharp fingers curl around the beating organ and he squeezes as Lifeline cries out.

“Scream louder,” he requests, squeezing her heart again. Lifeline obliges, her scream icy in the air. Revenant lets out a content purr and rips Lifeline’s heart out of her chest. Her eyes bulge out and the scream she lets out would be blood curdling if Revenant cared or had blood. He lets the kunai fall from his grasp and hit the ground, focused on Lifeline’s heart instead. “Here,” he offers, holding it in front of her eyes.

Even Revenant’s enhanced eyes cannot keep up with the flurry of emotions that crosses Lifeline’s face as she stares at her own heart.

“Incredible, isn’t it?” Revenant says, twisting his hand this way and that to give the dying woman all angles on her heart. “The human body is so uniquely shaped, and you rarely get the chance to see your own organs, much less the one that keeps you alive.”

Blood seeps from Lifeline’s mouth, her eyes darting between her heart and Revenant as tears mix with the blood on her face.

“I’ll see you on the drop ship,” Revenant tells her. His fist tightens around her heart until it explodes out from between his fingers. He carelessly drops it and rises, not bothering to watch Lifeline’s final moments in the arena.

She’d lived through her usefulness, and Revenant does not believe in an honorable death. Not for pathetic sacks of meat like Lifeline and Wraith.

He shakes the muscle and meat off of his hands and approaches Elliott who is huddled in on himself with his eyes squeezed shut. Gently, so gently the motion is almost unfamiliar, Revenant combs his fingers through Elliott’s hair.

“Come,” he says. “We haven’t won yet.” He gives Elliott as much time as he needs, and doesn’t move when the man leans into his touch. Revenant forces himself to be patient, because the remaining squads will still be there when Elliott manages to pull himself together.

He allows Elliott to cling to him in the silence of World’s Edge, just for a little bit longer. Elliott was good for him today, and good behavior deserves good rewards. Bloodhound, Gibraltar, Caustic, and Wattson can wait a little bit longer, because…

Revenant feels that same unfamiliar hum in his circuits as he gazes down at Elliott Witt, clinging to his hand so desperately.

The world can wait now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i worked really hard on this. feedback would be greatly appreciated and it encourages both of us to work harder and write more <3 thank you all for reading!!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Duos after dark](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23575687) by [Tkhan0](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tkhan0/pseuds/Tkhan0)
  * [Territorial](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26022295) by [PrimrosePrime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrimrosePrime/pseuds/PrimrosePrime)




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